Boulder News

Western Book Roundup

Montana Bookstore Owners Head to Peace Corps Assignment in Peru

By Jenny Shank, 6-24-09

Jean Matthews and Russ Lawrence bought Chapter One Bookstore in Hamilton 23 years ago, and a few weeks ago they sold the store to longtime business partner Shawn Wathen so they could pursue their lifelong dream of serving in the Peace Corps, according to Bess Brownlee of the Ravalli Republic.  She writes, “Their work in Peru will focus on small business development and promotion.” Lawrence, author of Montana’s Bitterroot Valley, told Brownlee that they might write a book about their experiences in Peru.  The couple, married for 31 years, will serve in Peru until August of 2011.

Matthews and Lawrence are already keeping track of their experiences on a blog (via Shelf Awareness), and have some nice photos of their recent encounters with Peruvians and llamas.  If you’ve ever wondered what the Peace Corps is like, this blog will give you a good idea.  The first entries feature the couple’s adventures in packing for the two-year stint (“The Edges Fray, the Duffel Cannot Hold”), their attempts to improve their Spanish, and the orientation classes they began to take once they arrived in Peru.  They write:

“The most popular class yesterday was presented by our Medical Officer, Dr. Jorge, on diarrhea. The official estimate of the percentage of Peru’s [Peace Corps Volunteers] who have, umm, ‘soiled their pants’ is 95%, but he bets it’s closer to 100%.”

As of this weekend, they’ve already hit a rough patch: Russ ended up in a hospital in Panama with “a torn retina of idiopathic origin,” but they expect him to make a full recovery.

Back in Hamilton, Chapter One will host a reading by Rick Bass on Monday, July 13 at 7:30 p.m.  Watch for my review of his new book, The Wild Marsh: Four Seasons at Home in Montana in a few weeks.

Meanwhile, in Colorado, the Rocky Mountain Land Library recently established a Kids Nature Library at the Kassler Center in Littleton.  (The photo is of a few youngsters enjoying the library during the first hour after it opened.) According to Jeff Lee of the Land Library, the Tattered Cover donated the necessary shelves, and they moved 1,500 books to the Center a few weeks ago.

The Rocky Mountain Land Library has several upcoming events scheduled at the LoDo Tattered Cover, including an appearance by photographer and naturalist Paul Bannick on June 24 (7:30 p.m.).

Photographer Thomas Bachand has a new book out, Lake Tahoe: A Fragile Beauty (Chronicle Books).  He writes that the book “examines Tahoe as a microcosm of the environmental challenges confronting our time.” Through September 8, photographic prints from the book are on display at the Vista Gallery on Tahoe’s north shore.  There will be a reception on July 11 (1-4 p.m.).

Follow me on Twitter, and if you have some regional book news or events to share, please .

Like this story? Get more! Sign up for our free newsletters.